B.C. mountaineer missing in Italy is seasoned survivalist, MLA says

A British Columbia legislature member who went to law school with missing mountaineer Kalie McCrystal says the woman’s family and friends are “sitting by the phone” as they await updates on the search in Italy.

Penticton-Summerland MLA Amelia Boultbee says she’s known McCrystal for a long time and says she’s “not just your average hiker,” and her disappearance while attempting to break a mountain-running record on the Matterhorn last week remains a mystery.

Boultbee says she’s been in touch with McCrystal’s sister and mother who are in Italy and they’ve been working mostly with Italian authorities.

She says the decision to suspend the search has been “very upsetting,” and the last time she was spotted via telescope before going missing showed no signs of any troubles.

Boultbee says McCrystal has done the Matterhorn several times before and it’s unusual that she went missing given her physical condition and extensive experience.

She says her friends and family are holding out hope that McCrystal is found alive.

“Nobody understands why there’s been zero trace of Kalie,” she said. “We also just want her family to get some answers.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 7, 2026

The Canadian Press